Days before iTablet-palooza, the rumor hits keep comin’

Here's the latest on expected features and services for the iSlate, including …

With just days to go before Apple is likely to unveil a long-expected tablet device, rumors continue to circulate over its details. As the buzz continues, we wanted to wrap up what we have heard recently.

You want 3G with that? Sources inside both AT&T and Verizon once again say that an Apple tablet will be compatible with not just one or the other, but both networks. The source from Verizon claims that it will work automatically with Verizon's WiFi hotspots and switch seamlessly to EVDO when out of range. Whether such a service would work the same on AT&T isn't known, but that company did boast to Fox that it has "the largest network of Wi-Fi hotspots in the country."

Further rumors peg Qualcomm as the supplier of the 3G chip for the tablet. Apple may build separate versions, one with HSPA+ chips for AT&T and most other carriers, and another with EVDO chips for Verizon and other carriers using the CDMA standard. Alternately, Apple may even include a chip recently designed by Qualcomm that's capable of connecting to either network.

Buy one dock connector, get one free. Sources for iLounge say that the tablet will have not one, but two dock connectors—one on the horizontal bottom, and one on a vertical "bottom." This would allow the device to be docked in either landscape or portrait orientation while charging. This way, the tablet could perform different functions—playing video or displaying books, for example—while set in a single charging station.

The tablet will also have generously sized antennas, if the "long rear stripe" of plastic along the back—which breaks up the device's metal casing—is any indicator. That should offer better reception than the small antennas on the iPhone, and may enable 802.11n compatibility.

Mom? Am I coming in clear? This rumor isn't necessarily new, but MacRumors seems certain that the tablet will have a front-facing camera. A recent Wall Street Journal report suggested it may be used for facial recognition, a sort of biometric auto-login, but it could easily be used for iChat videoconferencing or posting gratuitous self-portraits on Facebook.

What's in a name? "iSlate," "iTablet," "iPad." All these are possible names, and would be in line with Apple's now 12-year-old habit of adding an "i" in front of the name of its products. Macworld UK rehashes trademark office filings suggesting that Apple is trying to separate "iPad" from Fujistu, which used to make a portable POS device for retail stores. However, analysis of the filings reveal that Apple's objection is because the name is so close to "iPod."

What if Apple drops the "i" altogether, and goes with something like "Canvas?" Anything's possible.

A book is like a garden carried in the pocket... or perhaps on a tablet. It appears HarperCollins isn't the only publishing company being associated with Apple's upcoming tablet. A BusinessWeek report says that McGraw-Hill and Hachette Book Group are in talks with Apple to bring an assortment of textbooks and trade publications to the tablet in digital format. The availability of educational material could make the tablet a shoo-in for the education market.

John Wiley & Sons titles may also make an appearance as well. "We have had ongoing conversations with Apple about their interest in including educational content," Peter Balis, director of digital content at Wiley, told BusinessWeek. "We will continue to support their efforts in whatever iteration it takes next week."

At what cost, iTablet? A recent ChangeWave survey suggests that, sight unseen, 18 percent of survey respondents are likely to buy one if Apple announces one in the coming days. However, consumers would have the strongest demand for an Apple tablet at a price between $500 and $700.

RBC analyst Mike Abramsky agrees that Apple would have a hit on its hands if it can introduce the tablet at $600. His model predicts Apple would sell 5 million tablets in 2010 at that price, but sales would drop to just 1 million if the price were $800. Going off the deep end, Abramsky imagines that if Apple sells the tablet for $500, it could move as many as 10 million units in its first year.

Let's be realistic, though. The iPhone costs $600 at full retail. It seems unlikely that Apple would sell a much larger tablet at the same price. It will probably cost less than a MacBook, but chances are good that it will cost more than an iPhone. Even a top-end iPod touch costs $400, and that's without cellular radios, GPS, camera, compass, and other hardware. Apple might not include all that hardware, but a $700 or $800 price seems more likely.

What do you think? Now, it's your turn to tell us what you think. What is the rumored feature that would sell you most on an Apple tablet? And how much would you be willing to spend to get one? As a bonus, tell us what you think Apple will call its tablet device.

131 Reader Comments

Oh, and I wouldn't be surprised either if the thing would *not* look like an oversized iPhone but rather like the Apple wireless keyboard instead. Very thin body with a bulge at the upper end containing the battery. This way it's much easier to use when laying on a desk (since it's angled up a bit towards you then) and you have something to hold it with when used one-handed for reading in portrait orientation (which would be very fiddly otherwise). A plain 10"-slate looks good but it's awkward to hold. And it's hard to squeeze some decent battery into it.

I think it's exactly Jobs' obsession with form and attention to details that speaks for this. A tablet that is hard to hold without touching the touchscreen is just awkward. I'd expect Apple to solve this problem and additionally the bulge is just a great way to spell out "Apple" and not just "another tablet". Look at http://www.apple.com/keyboard/ and you can't fail to see that this a great design for a tablet.

Not so long ago I've got iPod Touch 3G, and I love it. Apart from not having mobile internet it is absolutely awesome, and the lack of internet makes actually sense, as I would hate paying bills for my media player...

Also, I wouldn't actually want to mix smartphone (as in phone, camera, gps, compas etc. with internet uplink) with media player. Why? Well, it's all about battery. Smartphone offers essential functionality, that I may need in various situation: from making life easier to actually saving life. I would hate being left without any communication, because I've used my battery on watching movies and playing games...

Both of these are unproved tech that is not in a functional unit yet. When Kindle first launched, there were already several eReaders using this tech. Kindle, Nook, and others are all competing in this space, yet E-Ink screens are still terribly expensive.

Production infrastructure has to be built. And that needs capital and lead-time. And that's simply not available in this case. They would have had to already ramp up production for Apple, as well as offer Apple a good price on the screen.

And remember: a 10" screen is even bigger than the $500 Kindle DX. Considering that the DX is only 2x the screen size of the regular Kindle, that means that the bigger screen costs a good 2-3x as much for E-Ink to make (either that, or Amazon is really gouging on it, which is unlikely. They'd make more selling it cheaper and making up profits on eBooks). And again, that's for a mature product that has had years of manufacturing behind it.

Pixel Qi and Mirasol. One of these may well be the future of eReaders and Tablet/eReader conversion. Hell, they may be the future of monitors period.

But they're not ready for prime time. And Apple is as prime time as it gets.

@Alfonse: Basically I think you're right, but still: The Apple thing will be there in two months at the earliest. And Pixel Qi *is* producing displays right now. They're saying that the first displays will be sold in "specialized touchscreen devices", whatever this means. While I don't really think Apple will rely on such inmature technology it's not totally impossible. Well, we will see soon.

bah, Apple is known to put together new but not exactly cutting edge technology with great software into an amazing package. Besides reading books will only be a small part of what this device will do I think that much is clear. So most likely it will be a completely normal but high-quality LCD screen. (which is btw perfectly ok, given the fact that I spend most of my working day staring at text on an LCD screen, and yes paper is a bit more comfortable to read.)

The ability to purchase and view DRM-free day-and-date releases of comics is what I really really really want. To be able to buy Batman #723 (or whatever) in electronic format on the same day I would other wise be able to buy it in a comic store.

There are certain signs, like Apple launching the device in a "Creative Event" and the proposed name "iSlate", that point to a control device (like Yoozer suggested) that would work like a drawing tablet with a video screen and real-time video-editing capability. The key function of the device could be that its software works seamlessly with Mac desktop through WiFi. This kind of device could also replace the so-called smartboards in schools allowing the students to take part in creating the learning content in real-time.

Anyway, the ability to control creative tools on a Mac OS X desktop and share content in real-time with other tablet users are my best guesses.

I want the device to be water proof. I also think they should call it the Apple iPond Skipper. Looking at all the mockups of the device remind me of all the days I spent at the lake house as a kid. It would also be nice if it had a miniature motor and prop that would work as an automatic retrieval system. That way you would not need to spend all day swimming around trying to find it each time you sent it skipping across the lake.

If the device has a motion sensor like the iPhone, it could even count the number of skips!

I'm a college student, and the single thing that piques my interest about the Apple Tablet are the rumours about them talking with textbook publishers to get textbooks on the device. I'll admit that I'm a bit of an Apple junkie (hardcore Mac/iPod/iPhone user for years; on the rare occasion I have extra money, it's more than likely heading to Cupertino sometime soon!), but the idea of a tablet has yet to excite me. I'm not quite sure how it would integrate into my daily life in a meaningful way that my Mac mini, MacBook Air, or iPhone don't already. When I need a fast computer with large, multiple monitors, I head towards the mini. When I need a full-featured computer while out and about, or I need to take some notes in a lecture, out comes the Air. If I need a quick dose of the Internet, or a break from said lecture, iPhone to the rescue.

Really, I think that the only way I would consider doing anything with the tablet other than playing with one in the store is if there were textbooks on it. Each semester I spend somewhere in the range of $600 for large, heavy engineering texts that I hate carrying around. If Apple could manage to pull off a similar thing like they did when the iTunes Music Store opened, where they get a critical mass of publishers on board so that the rest fall in line as well, and they actually manage to get a large selection of texts on it, I would seriously consider it.

If they don't though, I'll still enjoy messing with the display models.

I'm not sure what would make me want this thing. I use my 3 year old, 17" MacBook Pro all over the place for work and home. Having something more portable would be nice, but I've tried using 2 different Palm devices (IIIx and TX) and my iPhone 3G for note taking over the past decade and none of them beat the good-old pen & notepad. The only thing I've come to use on the laptop for note-taking is FreeMind (memory mapper) and without a keyboard, that would be impossibly hard to use as well.

I'm hoping they "wow me" Wednesday and come up with something I can't live without, but I'm highly doubtful.

Maybe they'll have an app on it that acts like the LiveScribe pen, where I can take notes (with a stylus please!) on it and it will keep an audio track synced to my scribbling and automatically sync it back to my Mac. That might be cool, depending, of course, on it's battery life.

I already own an iPhone and a MacBook Pro. For me to buy this tablet, it would have to enable significant new practical advantages that are missing in existing products. Therefore, I cannot pick one of the techy features listed in this poll as being sufficient for me to buy this. As for the price, well it really depends on what the device can do -- I'd rather it cost less money, obviously, but if the device justifies a $1,000 price-tag with its capabilities, then I might be willing to pay that.

It's really hard to anticipate what a new apple product will be like. But I can see a "digital gap" in my life, and if this product fills that gap, then I might buy it. As much as I like the digital world, I find that I continue to need physical, paper notepads, books, and magazines. When I go on a flight I will often buy a magazine. When I'm reading a paper from a job market candidate, I will often print it out and mark it up by hand. Sometimes I'll have a textbook open while typing a report on my computer. I would prefer a digital solution to these types of activities, but an iPhone is too small and a laptop has the wrong form factor. But I hate writing things by hand (my handwriting sucks -- I can barely read it, so I don't think any computer will ever be able to).

So, if Apple can create a product that will replace notepads, magazines, and books in my life, while allowing me to enter text quickly and accurately without using a physical keyboard or handwriting recognition, plus add in all the other stuff that an iPhone can do (games, movies, music, communication, web), then I'd probably buy this thing even if it is $1,000. But if it's just an iPod Touch with a bigger screen, then I probably wouldn't.

Really, I think that the only way I would consider doing anything with the tablet other than playing with one in the store is if there were textbooks on it. Each semester I spend somewhere in the range of $600 for large, heavy engineering texts that I hate carrying around. If Apple could manage to pull off a similar thing like they did when the iTunes Music Store opened, where they get a critical mass of publishers on board so that the rest fall in line as well, and they actually manage to get a large selection of texts on it, I would seriously consider

I think with Amazon and the Kindle and all the other readers and companies behind them this is not going to happen. At least not right now, there's too much going on and nobody wants to bet on the wrong horse. But of course Apple has the appstore and in-app purchases now and so it would be possible for publishers to come with their own apps. No sane publisher would want to be locked into *one* device and ecosystem anyway, this would mean to lock out too many potential customers. This is a time now where everyone feels forced to do something and nobody knows what to do... The worst thing that can happen is that you need three different readers and ten apps to replace your $600 worth of books.

I have no doubt that ebooks will take off now but it remains to be seen if they'll really soar or just rain down flaming debris all over the place.

Originally posted by gt40spec:My guess is that you'll be able to run multiple apps at once and Tab through them like web browser tabs

Which would mean that sooner or later the thing will run out of memory and you (the user) will be forced to nurse the system by manually closing apps you don't need anymore. This is very much not what Apple will wish you to care for, I think.

I still think that Apple will insist in apps saving state when closed so that the OS can decide which app to close down at any time. With that in place SpringBoard (or its equivalent on the slate) is just a task-switcher and if the app continues running or not is an unimportant technical detail. There is only a small subsection of apps that *really* needs running in the background. If they can find some solution for this problem "being able to run multiple apps at once" vs. "being able to close one app and open another" is a mere academic difference. As long as you don't have overlapping windows this makes no real difference to the user. And anyway apps just running in the background with no real need for it is a battery killer.

With a bit more CPU-power and memory than in the iPhone you could also have a somewhat pragmatic approach: Keep the last two or three apps running for a while. Then have a row of "tabs" ordered by the last time you used an app, so you can easily switch back and forth between them by swiping left and right with two fingers. If an app has been shut down by the OS meanwhile, have it take a screenshot and use that in the tab instead. This way you could have a long row of all apps you have ever used and apps already gone will just take a moment longer to come up again and restore their state.

I'm still curious about the user interface. If they get this right the technical details should be something only developers have to care for. If you as a user still have to think of an app as "running" or "not running" the interface isn't right.

Is there really a point to all this rumor mongering that Ars is doing on the iTablet-whatever-it's-called? I mean, I know that Ars is an Apple fan site but really??? Do we need an article a day on the tablet up until Steve Jesus, er Jobs, makes his announcement of what the tablet market will be? There was nothing new in this article of any substance other than a rehash of what's been said for the past weeks on a daily basis. That's a bit lazy but I'm sure your Mac fans eat it up.

If only your other headings would get half the attention you're putting towards an unannounced new Apple product. The site would be better for it because as it stands now, Ars is becoming a Mac fanboi site. *sigh*, *heads off to find other sites, while wishing Ars would return to its roots and what made the site fantastic to begin with.*

A recent ChangeWave survey suggests that, sight unseen, 18 percent of survey respondents are likely to buy one if Apple announces one in the coming days.

Let me get this straight. According to the survey, nearly one in five peple asked are 'likely' to buy an Apple tablet, before they've seen it, before any specs are known, before anyone has a clue who it's aimed at? Who the hell are they asking?

Originally posted by Kressilac:Is there really a point to all this rumor mongering that Ars is doing on the iTablet-whatever-it's-called? I mean, I know that Ars is an Apple fan site but really??? Do we need an article a day on the tablet up until Steve Jesus, er Jobs, makes his announcement of what the tablet market will be? There was nothing new in this article of any substance other than a rehash of what's been said for the past weeks on a daily basis. That's a bit lazy but I'm sure your Mac fans eat it up.

If only your other headings would get half the attention you're putting towards an unannounced new Apple product. The site would be better for it because as it stands now, Ars is becoming a Mac fanboi site. *sigh*, *heads off to find other sites, while wishing Ars would return to its roots and what made the site fantastic to begin with.*

You're losing readership with this drivel Ars.

Well, an article being just a rehash of what's been said already doesn't take much work. It gets much attention by readers and commenters (like you, obviously), though. Sounds like a good deal for everyone, doesn't it? You still have the option to silently shake your head and ignore it.

Besides, this thing *is* making a buzz. Apple coming up with something new makes a whole industry hold their breath, like it or not.

Here are the "must-have" features for me to even considder the iSlate: (no particular order)1) 720p output (preferably 1080p) over wireless connection to TV. (and it must come with the wireless HDMI dongle for the TV, other connection options should be sold seperately like a component cable dock)2) a FULL e-mail client, somewhere between the iPhone client and Mail/Outlook (closer to the latter, MUCH closer). Preferably with a universal inbox and definetly the ability to define folders and move multiple objects at once. Also nee to be able to send attachments and more than one of them per message (including mailing more than 1 photo). Should both operate as an independent mail client and also sync with online systems (mobile.me, exchange, etc). Multi-account support per user is naturally expected.3) Document EDITING capability of both Apple and Microsoft documents including but not limited to Word, Excel, Pages, Numbers, and plain text documents. Also shold be capable of displaying PPT and/or keynote slide presentations, including transitions and animations, full support for all features of the presentation app. presenter view would be nice if using an external display but that's not required). If it can not edit and share existing documents, not just create simple files, then it really has VERY limited value... Drop this requirement, and I won't pay more than $400 for it. 4) MULTIPLE USER ACCOUNTS! When the wife is using it, she should see her own accounts, preferences, bookmarks, etc, not mine, and it should defaut to her shared libraries not mine. If the kids use it, there should be parental controls on their accounts configurable only by the master account. 5) iPhoto support for importing and managing photo collections, and syncing that information back to a Mac and mobile.me. Croping/editing would be a plus but I'm Ok with simply a lite version of iPhoto for management. This is a BIG requirement! Drop this, and drop the price by $200. 6) A media client more like iTunes itself and less like iPod. 7) more open platform (no more "competes with native app" lockout, so i can have other browsers, other text entry apps, etc, but I still much prefer the closed store model...). This is not a hard requirement, more of an expectation... 8) full multitasking, not just notifications. Side by side apps, including more than one document in the same app. 9) local file storage subsystem that's not tied to specific apps. contacts, media, and other protected data can still be segregated like it is on the iPhone, but i want to be able to download docs to it and open them on the go where I might not have other access, and don't want to have to save them in e-mail to do that, and I also want the included media player (iTunes) to be able to play media from that area as well as it's own internal storage area. This should also be configurable, or better yet storage not used by internal data shold simply be presented as a dynamic volume for anything else, and they should not compete on storage space unless the device runs out of total aggregate storage. 10) Flash and other browser plug-in support. There are too many web sites I can not browse at all on the iPhone... (not concerned with Flash Video, that's soon to die, just flash and java web page content) 11) Support for Amazon, iTunes, and other popular e-books, not just one of the above, or the ability to add free readers from the appropriate parties, and most importantly, the ability to get ebooks IN and OUT without having to sync online through an account or to a paired PC (simply copy into the local file system and it can open them, provided you give it right account to do so for DRM content). 12) SDXC card slot. Native apps should auto-detect available content in this slot (if put in the right folder structure) on launch or at least be able to browse it. Music and video on an SD card should be able to be synced into the iTunes internal library if there is room. (though export we assume will still be an issue). Photos should be able to be synced into the internal iPhoto app. 13) USB port. Honestly, i considder this optional, but not being able to connect thumb drives would be a pretty big omission. 14) anything added to the tablet's internal storage (iTunes, iPhoto, etc) should automatically sync through the cloud or over home wifi if configured to do so. iTunes should sync to the tablet as well over WiFi. Other than for initial setup, and for firmware updates, it should never have to be connected to a computer directly at all. It must also back itself up (configuration and installed apps only, data should be able to be re-synced) over this connection, and also to mobile.me. 15) It MUST access network shares directly from virtually any host OS or NAS device. It should also support WHS (or at least announce support is pending).

A recent ChangeWave survey suggests that, sight unseen, 18 percent of survey respondents are likely to buy one if Apple announces one in the coming days.

Let me get this straight. According to the survey, nearly one in five peple asked are 'likely' to buy an Apple tablet, before they've seen it, before any specs are known, before anyone has a clue who it's aimed at? Who the hell are they asking?

Apple generally makes good stuff. This is a form factor I have been wanting to play with. If this is nothing more than a big screen iPhone without voice chat, it will meet several of my needs. If it can do more stuff than a big iPod Touch, it will be even more useful. I can't wait to play with it.

I think the multi touch technology will enable me to work much faster. I produce music and Logic 9 already use pinch to zoom (for MIDI data). And by how often I accidentally click or change a parameter in GarageBand I am really looking forward to ditch the mouse and rather work directly with the interface.Am I the only one thinking Apple is using the iPhone and Tablet for a testing bed, and we'll eventually see these innovations and software in 'pro workstations' (be it laptops or else)?

Originally posted by ShadowNode:What are these even for? Not ebooks, without an eink screen.

What would a tablet do that a laptop or smartphone wouldn't do better?

Lounge around the living room. You have the option of surfing the web, reading a book, and running basic apps all right there in a format that isn't bulky. Would also work for a wall mount control, although this version of a tablet would more than likely be a bit expensive for that.

Basically, this would be (IMO) a stylish netbook with ereader functionality. Apple would be taking the success of the onscreen keyboard and moving that to a larger format. Of course, the success of the ereader side of it depends on supporting existing formats and not creating a new format for lock in. If you actually use your laptop as a desktop replacement and do heavy CPU loads, then this product isn't for you. However, most people have a laptop or netbook for quick surfing and the like.

I'm very anxious to see what this is about. Even though I generally hate stylus input, I think it needs to have a place for it when considering school or certain work scenarios. Overall, however, the UI should be designed around fingers (which I'm sure it is).

For me, the deciding factor will be the cost of the data plan. If I can add this as a "second line" to share my iPhone's AT&T plan for less than $20/month, I'm probably in. I suspect it'll be at least another $30/month, though, since that's what I'd have to pay for data for a second iPhone. I suppose if the device is significantly more than "an iPhone that won't fit in my pocket", I'd pay another $30/month. If it's cheap enough unsubsidized, maybe I'd just use it with tethering, but that's kind of a hassle.

What would a tablet do that a laptop or smartphone wouldn't do better?

Lounge around the living room.

Exactly if you observe it objectively a Notebook is a pretty idiotic design to work anywhere besides on a table. If you quickly want to look at something sitting on the couch, standing, ... you are much better off with a tablet. (You also never see people from StarTrek carry around a Notebook on foreign planets.

A tablet would essentially be what I use my ipod Touch for at home. Quickly check emails or facebook, send a short mail, google something I saw in TV... just bigger. It would also be a nice Youtube player I know some people who switched more or less from TV to youtube. I couldn't imagine this but the attention span of the average guy seems to get lower. Add in eReader functionality, the ability to download magazins and newspapers or something like that and it starts to be a pretty powerful replacement of many different medias we consume today.

Originally posted by JPan:A tablet would essentially be what I use my ipod Touch for at home. Quickly check emails or facebook, send a short mail, google something I saw in TV... just bigger. It would also be a nice Youtube player I know some people who switched more or less from TV to youtube. I couldn't imagine this but the attention span of the average guy seems to get lower. Add in eReader functionality, the ability to download magazins and newspapers or something like that and it starts to be a pretty powerful replacement of many different medias we consume today.

Likely to be a $1000 ipod touch.

Awesome value there. But it'll probably look nice, which is the important thing, I suppose.

I think Apple needs incentives to buy this thing. Super long battery life for some tasks is one. Wicked display tech is one way to get it.

As for the price, Apple knows how to price things. There are enough people who will line up, pay double, whatever to be the first idiot they know to have the new toy no one else has. I know, I'm one of those idiots. Anyway, they'll eventually be priced 'fairly' compared to other devices out there. This isn't the Apple of the early 1990's who blindly believed their tech was better and refused to be competitive till it was too late.

Both of these are unproved tech that is not in a functional unit yet. When Kindle first launched, there were already several eReaders using this tech. Kindle, Nook, and others are all competing in this space, yet E-Ink screens are still terribly expensive.

Production infrastructure has to be built. And that needs capital and lead-time. And that's simply not available in this case. They would have had to already ramp up production for Apple, as well as offer Apple a good price on the screen.

And remember: a 10" screen is even bigger than the $500 Kindle DX. Considering that the DX is only 2x the screen size of the regular Kindle, that means that the bigger screen costs a good 2-3x as much for E-Ink to make (either that, or Amazon is really gouging on it, which is unlikely. They'd make more selling it cheaper and making up profits on eBooks). And again, that's for a mature product that has had years of manufacturing behind it.

Pixel Qi and Mirasol. One of these may well be the future of eReaders and Tablet/eReader conversion. Hell, they may be the future of monitors period.

But they're not ready for prime time. And Apple is as prime time as it gets.

Pixel Qi doesn't require brand new facilities. Their tech was designed to require minimal tweaking to existing production lines. And the production approach has been tested already with the production of the OLPC-XO, which uses an earlier form of the screen. Not sure the same can be said for Mirasol. Pixel Qi has one announced customer already, Notion Ink.

What would get me to by an apple tablet? The same thing that currently hobbles PC tablets: Terrible software. I'm a tablet PC user and I can't get over how terrible and clunky most of the UIs are. Combine that with the fact there are few to no standards for shortcuts and UI within programs and zero functionality between programs (like a clipboard for pen strokes, a way to drag/drop pen strokes, gestures for automatic screen clippings, user defined gestures etc).

Oh... and don't force us to buy a cellular contract. Reason I don't own an iPhone: they are tethered to AT&T.

If apple can push a program for textbook rental by semester, put a big beautiful HD screen capable of handwriting input for notes, a web-browser with or without flash and killer battery life, I'll buy one quicker then you can say iSlate no matter what the price, but if this is only an overgrown iPhone you can keep it, I'll stick with a traditional laptop and carry my textbooks around the old fasioned way.